


Jaskier's Three Proposals

by not_a_bit_good



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Episode: s01e02 Four Marks, Episode: s01e04 Of Banquets Bastards and Burials, Episode: s01e06 Rare Species, F/M, Gen, Geraskier, M/M, Meta, Meta Essay, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:34:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22820095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_a_bit_good/pseuds/not_a_bit_good
Summary: In this essay, I will argue that the subtext on the Witcher is very very gay and that the s01e06 Rare Species breakup is not the end of Geraskier, on the contrary.Or : it's already gay, deal with it.
Relationships: Calanthe Fiona Riannon/Eist Tuirseach, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 22
Kudos: 78





	Jaskier's Three Proposals

**Author's Note:**

> This meta is based on my orginal tumblr post [here](https://not-a-bit-good.tumblr.com/post/190983898464/jaskiers-three-proposals).

_Or : it's already gay, deal with it_

In this essay, I will argue that the subtext on the Witcher is very very gay and that the s01e06 _Rare Species_ breakup is not the end of Geraskier, on the contrary.

## Geralt is a queen

It all begins at Pavetta's bethrothal, in s01e04 _Of Banquets Bastards and Burials_.

During the feast, Calanthe, Eist, Pavetta and Mousesack are mirrors for our four protagonists : Geralt, Jaskier, Ciri and Yennefer.

  * Mousesack represents Yennefer : they are both powerful magic users, have both been friends with Geralt for years (and it's interesting that unlike with Jaskier, Geralt doesn't protest when Mousesack calls him a friend), both mentor Ciri (Yen in the books only, for now).
  * Pavetta is Ciri : they look very similar, both possess powerful magic inherited from powerful female ancestors, both under the care of a badass protector.
  * Eist is Jaskier : both are ladies' men (or so it seems), associated with the sea ( _"Let's go to the coast"_ , Jaskier, episode s01e06 _Rare Species_ ; Eist rules over Skellige's fishermen), blue-eyed
  * Calanthe is Geralt : she comes to the feast fresh from battle and wearing a bloody armor, and she fiercely oppresses nonhumans ; both are tired of navigating rules made by men, badass, and secretly very emotionnally vulnerable.
  * King Roegner is Renfri : died years before the events of the episode, still impact the narrative to this day.



So what do these mirror characters tell us about our protagonists ?

Well, during the feast, Mousesack/Yen tells Geralt that Eist/Jaskier's reputation as a ladies man is exaggerated because he proposed to and **was rejected by Calanthe/Geralt 3 TIMES (1)**.

We also learn that although Calanthe has to make it look like she's giving every suitor a fair chance, she's already decided on Pavetta's bethrothed, Skellige guy, as an alliance between Cintra and Skellige would be near invincible. She has another reason to push the bethrothal : she knows that Pavetta is pregnant and that Duny is coming for her, and she wants what's best for her daughter. **Even if it means Pavetta will hate her for it (2)**.

The plot happens, Calanthe sasses Geralt for being an idiot and a royal cuckhold (no seriously, that's what she implies, even she sees the gay, this queen pulls no punches), Duny comes in, **Calanthe fights and fights against destiny (Pavetta and Duny's love) until it nearly break her castle before _finally_ accepting it (3)**. Pavetta and Duny marry, as well as Calanthe and Eist, Jaskier receives the favor of a lady he protected during Pavetta's tornado of doom... and Geralt ends up with a child-surprise.

Of course, we already know from episode 1 that Eist and Calanthe are happily married, with Calanthe as monarch and Eist as her consort (notice the lack of crown on his head). We then see how they end together at the end of episode s01e04 : **Eist declares without consulting her that Calanthe has agreed to marry (4)** , which she is genuinely happy about and creates an invicible alliance between Cintra and Skellige (which was one of the goals of the feast).

From the story of these four mirrors, we learn the following :

  * Geralt is ready to do anything to ensure the happiness and safety of his loved ones, even if he ends up hated for it **(4)**.
  * Geralt will fight against destiny with everything he has, unless and until it proves to be too destructive **(3)**.
  * Jaskier is gonna be rejected 3 times before he and Geralt get their happy ending, IF they get one **(1)**
  * Jaskier would need to state explicitly that he wants to be with Geralt, and not hide **(4)** behind subtext and songs.
  * They would get together AFTER Geralt has rescued Ciri (since Pavetta's existence is essential to Eist and Calanthe getting together)
  * Yennefer would play an important role into getting Geralt and Jaskier together, as it is Mousesack who tells Geralt about Eist's feelings for Calanthe
  * **The showrunners don't care as much for adaptation loyalty as they want us to believe**. Pavetta's bethrothal plays out _very_ differently in the books (read _The Last Wish_ if you're interested, it has some pretty amusing subversions of fairy tale tropes)



## So : do we see Jaskier "propose" to Geralt in season 1 ?

Yes. Yes, we do. It's just kind of subtle.

**1st proposal: sex**

Jaskier first propositions Geralt soon after they meet in episode 2.

It's entirely based on sexual attraction: first there's the _"you don't want to keep a man with bread in his pants waiting"_ line, which is delightfully awkward but conveys that Jaskier wants Geralt to know what's in his pants.

  


Later Jaskier says he has enough hands for each of the _"devil's horns"_ , and confirms in episode 4 that a horn is a metaphor for another part of his anatomy.

Also Geralt calls the devil of Posada a "dick. With balls" so, there's that.

Geralt rejects Jaskier's advances by punching him in the groin. Which is fair - not everyone wants one night stands or puts out on the first date. Jaskier follows him anyways. They deal with the "devil" (actually from a rare and ancient people) and the elves.

And things could have stopped there, as Jaskier had accepted Geralt's rejection and was moving on on the path.

But then _Geralt_ followed him. And the rest is history.

So... first proposal : rejected, but Geralt was open to getting to know Jaskier more.

**2nd proposal : romance**

It happens during the bath scene, and it's ripe with romantic tropes.

Jaskier asks a favor from Geralt, trying to bait him with food, wine and women (interesting to note that Geralt starts to leave when Jaskier starts describing women with flowery prose, which is... well, I too would leave if my secret crush started daydreaming outloud about pretty people that are not me).

Then Jaskier helps Geralt bath, pampers him, compliments his lovely bottom. There's dim lighting coming from candles. Jaskier even tells Geralt not to drink too much, that it's best he have a clear head for this, which is a trope that might as well signal to the audience in big neon red letters that "JASKIER IS ABOUT TO POP THE QUESTION". Because obviously you need to be sober to discuss whether you want to pass the rest of your life with someone.

Outwardly, the dialogue is about Jaskier asking Geralt to be his bodyguard at the feast. Implicitly, it's Jaskier trying to find a way to pop the question... and getting thwarted by Geralt's obliviousness, tsundereness and jealousy. In the end Jaskier talks about _"someone, somewhere"_ wanting Geralt, and pretty much tells Geralt that he needs him, and he knows Geralt needs him too ( _"and yet here we are"_ ). This is Jaskier _asking Geralt out_. Geralt hmms in agreement and changes the subject.

And that’s where the misunderstanding happens : **Geralt thinks he’s accepted Jaskier’s proposal by not rejecting him, Jaskier thinks Geralt’s rejected him by not accepting outright.**

Side-note, there are only two kinds of people you dress and bring to a royal bethrothal : your bodyguard... and your Significant Other.

  


I'm pretty sure that Jaskier’s plan was to bring Geralt with him as his boyfriend. Since most straight people seem to struggle with the concept of bisexuality, that's the perfect cover. But now he thinks Geralt’s rejected him, so he goes into “fake-dating mode” instead.

So they both go to the feast. Geralt chats with a gossipy Mousesack. Unlike Jaskier, Geralt has no trouble calling Mousesack his friend. Almost like to Geralt, Jaskier is _more than a friend_.

Then Geralt saves Jaskier from a jealous husband by implying Jaskier was kicked in the balls by an ox as a child. This also conveniently keeps potential homewreckers away from his bard. 

Geralt looks particularly fond of Jaskier in this scene - he's made sure no one's gonna touch Jaskier in any way, now he gets to relax and enjoy the feast. 

~~Also, is that a sexual euphemism I spot here^^^^ ? Sure looks like it.~~

Then Jaskier keeps Geralt from provoking an international incident, Duny and Pavetta happen, Geralt accidentally gets an unplanned child and a lifetime ban from Cintra, etc.

Meanwhile, Jaskier thinks he was too subtle, and the whole "eunuch" incident convinces him that Geralt is not interested, because Geralt says that _"Jaskier is on his own"_. Geralt still stays, implying yet again he isn't exactly opposed to being Jaskier's significant other.

But Jaskier thinks that that means that Jaskier is on hiw own _in general_ , so he goes back to his manwhoring ways, which _on top of everything else that happens that night_ , Geralt can't stand. So Geralt flees the castle.

I mean. Because of Jaskier, Geralt ends up saddled with a destiny-child, and Jaskier, on that very same night, visibly flirts with a noblewoman. It’s like Jaskier knocked him up and ran. Not cool.

2nd proposal : so close... but no, they're not ready : Jaskier beats around the bush too much and doesn't ask outright what he wants, and Geralt is still too scared of needing people, because in his mind, people let you down, always. And they have trouble communicating properly, which will come to bite them in the ass again later.

**3rd proposal : domesticity**

This one is... _complicated_. I think Jaskier intended " _Her Sweet Kiss_ " (the first, upbeat version) to be his 3rd proposal.

At the beginning of episode 6, _Rare Species_ , we see Jaskier composing the song. The link between Geralt and garroter was established in episode 1 ; 

At the beginning of episode 6, Jaskier even calls the garroter lovely (like Geralt's _lovely bottom_ ) and asks some NPCs, but also us, the audience, if the metaphore he's going for is obvious enough.

But then the dragon hunt happens.

And Yennefer.

So after Borch """"dies"""", Jaskier changes his mind and goes for it, and he is the most explicit we've seen him be thus far. The 3rd proposal is Jaskier asking Geralt to RETIRE to the coast with him (explicitly) so that they can be together without Geralt risking his life (implicitly).

Keep in mind, at this point, Jaskier is 40, he's known Geralt for 22 years, and Borch's and his maidens’s sudden deaths and Geralt's close brush with death shook him to the core. It's different this time, because Jaskier _saw_ Geralt almost die to save someone. Jaskier is aware that witchers that get old slow and get killed. And Geralt is well over a century old at this point. Jaskier's done the math, and the result is : Geralt might die before Jaskier.

And here's where it gets tricky : I have to rely on my interpretation of the plot for this part. Everything downwards is implicit, Because the episode tries to hide the gay.

**Geralt’s motivations**

At the beginning of the episode, Borch predicted to Geralt that he’ll find what’s missing from his life at the end of their journey to the dragon’s lair.

Unfortunately, Geralt takes this to mean that the only thing he needs in life is that thing he’ll find at the end of this journey.

And Borch’s apparent death shakes him. Not only that, but he, jaskier and Yennefer almost died too. He’s lost a friend, he’ll be damned if he lets his loved ones die fighting the dragon. He wants both Yen and Jaskier to be safe, even if they end up hating him.

Talking with Yennefer and Borch also warmed him up to the idea of a child surprise, and the impending nilfgaardian invasion lets him know they are no longer safe in Cintra, so he’ll take them in so they’ll be safe during the war. Unfortunately, traveling with the Cintran heir would certainly be dangerous, so he’d have to keep Yen and Jaskier from following him. I do believe he fully intended to return them to Cintra once the danger passed, but things didn’t go as planned.

So he starts plotting to make them miss the fight against the dragon and push them both away. 

**Geralt's plan**

Geralt agrees to Jaskier's proposal to retire to the coast. Only he doesn't get that Jaskier wanted to be with him, as a couple. And Jaskier either doesn't notice the misunderstanding, or decides that it doesn't matter, he'd rather Geralt be happy with someone else than dead. Geralt's dicussion with Yennefer earlier led him to decide to take a chance and raise his child-surprise, because they're bound to him by destiny and are the only person who couldn't let him down.

So he goes to the other dragon hunters and makes a deal with them: if they can manage not to wake Jaskier when they leave to hunt the dragon the following day, he'll make sure that Yennefer doesn't wake either. That way, it's win-win : the others get the reward for slaying the dragon, and he gets two of the three people he loves the most safe and sound and not as dragon breakfast.

So then he goes spend the night with Yen and makes sure she sleeps in late, totally ignoring her agency and free will, because as stated earlier, he'd rather she be safe and happy and hating him than dead.

Geralt and Yen discover the dead green dragon, its egg and the alive Borsch dragon, kill the monster slayers, Jaskier wakes up late and arrives after the battle is over, the dwarves get the reward and Borsch the egg, and then Yennefer breaks up with Geralt because Deciding What's Best For Me Without Consulting Me Is Bad, Geralt.

Then Geralt breaks up with Jaskier in such a way that Jaskier will have to hate him. We know **he's acting because right before he explodes at Jaskier and as soon as he turns his back to him, Geralt looks completely calm... and very sad**. And again, Geralt is fine with being hated if it means his loved ones will be safe.

And it's not the only time he's manipulated someone sneakily - he did at Cintra too. Geralt is smarter than most people (and most of the audience) give him credit for. There's only so much you can do against so much anti-witcher prejudice.

**Results**

Jaskier believes that Geralt doesn't want him. Her Sweet Kiss becomes his pining song, because for him, it was the pain of losing Geralt that made him push Jaskier away.

Also pretty sure that Geralt still hasn't realised that Jaskier loves him romantically because unlike Geralt who pays sex workers to have sex without feelings or attachments (which is, ironically, why he feels safe with Yennefer - she doesn't need him), Jaskier actually has relationships. Loving ones. 

(Also, there was the whole banquet incident - Geralt’s been wrong about that before (or thinks he was))

## 4th proposal : fourth time's the charm

So if your heart has broken into thousand pieces, here are the good news : IF Jaskier ever proposes to Geralt a fourth time, and is very direct and explicit this time (no hiding behind songs and subtext anymore) then Geralt will eventually accept his destiny as Jaskier's husband.

That was the core of Eist and Calanthe's story, afterall : the fourth time Eist proposed, he and Calanthe got together and happily raised her granddaughter. With Mousesack/Yen as her third parent.

So... in conclusion, if the showrunners aren't cowards, Geraskier raising Ciri with Yennefer is endgame.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @Kateis-Cakeis for her precious help !


End file.
